Hans' Revenge
by RedWriter636
Summary: Hans' returns shortly after the climax of Frozen two, hell bent on destroying Anna and Elsa. Will they be strong enough to defeat him again? (Frozen 2 spoilers!)
1. Chapter 1

The winter winds blew cold in Arendell, the sky a cloudy grey. The marketplace was busy with people stocking up on supplies; a blizzard was here. It had frozen everything it could, the wind would howl in the night. The townspeople were expecting an announcement from their new Queen, Anna; perhaps that her sister would save them from the storm. They gathered in crowds outside the castle, anxious to hear what she has to say.

In the crowd there walked a man in a grey cloak, with red and gold trim around the edges, lined with the fur of foxes. His eyes were grey and focused as he squinted up at the castle that loomed in front of him. A smile crept over his face as he strode towards the wide open gates.

"I don't think I can do this. They're- they're going to hate me! They're going to riot and take back the crown!" Queen Anna was breathing hard, waving her hands frantically around her head as she paced the parlour floor. Kristoff, her fiance, stood in the middle of the room with open arms while she circled him.

"Anna, it's just a speech; no one is going to hate you, and they certainly aren't going to riot! . You're amazing at talking, you do it all the time!" He smiled. Anna shot him a look "You think I talk too much?" Kristoff's eyes widened and red flushed across his face. "No that's-that's not what I meant, I just mean that you-...you're a great Queen! Everyone in the kingdom loves you. All you have to do is go out there and explain to them that the fjord has frozen over...again…" he trailed off and looked her in the eye. They hadn't seen a storm like this since the first time Elsa lost control, and Kristoff knew Anna was worried that something had happened. Anna looked to the floor, but Kristoff stooped so they were eye to eye.

"Anna I'm sure Elsa is just fine. This is just your regular, run of the mill _non-magical _blizzard." he placed his hands on Anna's shoulders. She allowed herself to be pulled into a tight hug, relaxing against him.

Taking a few deep breaths, she moved away from him and did her best to smile brightly. "You're right. We've got nothing to worry about...we have plenty of supplies here in Arendell, at least enough to last until the thawing…" she began to pace again, but this time with more purpose. Kristoff smiled to himself; this was the woman he was going to marry- strong and determined and so caring towards her people. He couldn't believe he was so lucky.

Just then someone knocked on the door. Kristoff strode over and opened it- there stood a snowman who was only about as tall as Kristoff's knee. "Olaf." "Kristoff." Olaf nodded formally before skipping past him into the room. "Hi Anna!" "Hi Olaf." Anna paused her pacing to drop to the floor and give the snowman a warm hug. "Are you okay? You look all…." he waved his stick arms in the air and rolled his eyes. Anna laughed "Oh no I'm perfectly fine, Olaf, just a little nervous about this speech." "Oh that reminds me. The General says they're ready for you." Anna took a deep breath and looked at Kristoff, who gave her a reassuring thumbs up. She smiled and allowed herself to be led out of the room by Olaf, stopping only to give Kristoff a kiss on the cheek.

Anna delivered her speech wrapped in an emerald green cloak lined with rabbit fur, looking out over a sea of her loyal subjects. After the speech she walked into the crowd to answer questions and console her people. "When will the fjord thaw?" "Will the kingdom be safe?" "Will your sister return to help us?" People surrounded her and she hated the worry in their eyes; so she tried to assure them as well as she could that they would be just fine, and the thaw would come before they knew it. She avoided saying anything about her sister.

Elsa was a bit of a mystery lately. The letters had become less and less frequent, and when they did arrive they offered no news, but simply answered questions posed by Anna and reassurance again and again that all was well.

Anna hated to think that Elsa would keep something from her, again, but she didn't have the time or the heart to worry about it. She was sure that if something was wrong, Elsa would tell her, right?

Anna returned to the castle, windblown and thought consumed. She wanted to find Kristoff and talk to him about what they could do about the frozen fjords, but the guards said he had left soon after the speech. Instead she walked to her study, closing the door behind her.

"Hello darling."

A voice from the shadows. A tall man with bright red hair and a crazed glint in his eye.

"Hans!"

Anna didn't hesitate, she grabbed a poker from the fireplace and swung at him. The poker grazed his cheek and blood ran down his face. He screamed. With a wave of his hand, a circle of fire sprung up around Anna, who had to step back to keep from being burned. Anna gasped. "What are you doing here!? How…!?"

"I came here to finish what we started, _darling._" he sneered, advancing through the flame towards her, backing her into a corner. Anna continued to swing the poker, trying to keep him at bay.

"If you call me darling ONE MORE TIME…!" Anna stabbed at him, but he moved easily out of the way.

"Right, that's enough of that." he said, eyeing the poker. He pointed his finger at the weapon, and Anna felt it change under her skin.

"MY HANDS!" Anna screamed, dropping the poker, which now glowed with heat, and fell to the floor. Her hands, usually pale and small, were now swollen and bright red. She looked up at him with pure shock.

Hans laughed. His hands behind his straight back, looking down his nose at her.

"There. Now will you play nice? It's not polite to treat your superiors like this."

Her face changed to loathing.

"You bastard." she seethed. She fell to her side, sweeping her leg under his feet, knocking him to the floor into his flames. He screamed for a moment before the flames parted for him. He looked more mad now, with his face streaked in blood.

"That's it."

He lunged for her and began to claw at her legs,sparks catching on her tights and dress.

Anna kicked and struggled, her eyes closed against the bright heat of the flames that would soon engulf her...and then...nothing.

Anna opened her eyes. Kristoff was standing over her, Hans held up off the floor by his neck. She had never seen Kristoff look this angry. He was furious, his eyes slits on his face, glaring at Hans, who was struggling to pry Kristoffs fingers from his windpipe, but Kristoff just squeezed tighter.

"If you ever, and I mean EVER, come near my family again I will make sure no one ever finds your body. _Do I make myself clear._"

This wasn't a question.

"Lord Kristoff- put him down please." the steady voice of General Mattias came from the doorway. He was flanked by two Adrendellian guards.

Anna saw Kristoff's eyes flicker, like maybe he wouldn't, and would simply kill Hans then and there. She couldn't let him do that.

"Kristoff. Put him down." Anna said quietly.

Kristoff hesitated. Hans was turning blue...

"Kristoff STOP."

Kristoff looked Hans up and down before dropping him completely. He crumpled, gasping for breath. Kristoff stepped over him without giving him a second glance.

"Are you okay, Anna?" Kristoff's face, now that he was so close,she saw was riddled with worry. "I'm okay...except for my hands…" Anna held them out to show him, both of them ignoring the sounds of chains rattling and maniacal laughter as the guards took Hans to the dungeon.

Kristoff took her hands to his lips and kissed them.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there." Kristoff spoke first.

That night, they both lay awake in Anna's bed- she couldn't sleep alone tonight. . The Northern lights danced behind the snowy clouds. The wind howled and rattled the windows.

"Wait what? Why?" Anna asked.

"I- if I had just _been there._.._this_ wouldn't have happened." he gestured to her hands, which were now bandaged, with little specks of blood seeping through. Anna stayed silent. Then asked-

"Where were you? I looked for you when I got back"

Kristoff exhaled. "Stables. Sven had eaten all the carrots in the stock. Greedy reindeer gave himself a stomach ache." He chuckled dryly. Anna gave a small smile. "Poor Sven." she paused then said "And Kristoff? If you had been there, he...he would have killed you. It's only because he wanted to taunt me that I'm still alive at all..." Anna's voice was small- for the first time all day she didn't sound like a queen, but the girl he met three years ago. Scared and alone.

Well he wouldn't let her be alone anymore

"Hey…Come here. I'm here. We're both okay." Kristoff wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him. He held her to him until he felt her breathing slow, and they both fell asleep.

_Anna's dreams were filled with fire and ice. Hans' face loomed from a cloud of smoke over Elsa's frozen body. Kristoff and Sven burned. Anna's feet were frozen to the floor...he was coming, closer and closer, the heat was getting stronger...the sword was coming down…_

"ELSA!"

Anna sat straight up, her heart pounding and tears streaming over her cheeks. The room was filled with the grey early morning light. The blizzard had worsened, and the kingdom outside was blanketed in white drifts. She looked to her left and saw Kristoff sprawled out on his side of the bed, sleeping deeply. She smiled at him, then swung her legs out of bed. Wrapping herself in her dressing gown, she left.

She walked through the halls she had wandered when she was young. She knew the castle so well that she could walk through the whole palace with her eyes closed. Actually she had at one point when she was small, though it had resulted in a nasty tumble down the stairs ...Anna touched her head at the memory.

Her tired feet brought her to the library. The vast room full of portraits and books always comforted her. The silence that followed the closing of that door, the hours that stretched here. "Hi Joan." she whispered as she walked under the knight's portraits.

She had been thinking yesterday over. The white of her bandages was stark against the dark of the room.

Running her fingertips over the book's thick leather spines, she spoke aloud to herself.

"Where did he get magic?" she asked the empty room. "He certainly didn't have it...before..." Then something clicked in her head, a distant memory, and she started moving through the shelves quicker, pulling books out almost at random.

"Yes!"

A large volume, a story book, that she had read when she would spend hours outside Elsa's door. She turned the familiar heavy pages, the ink shone in the half light. There were stories about the Northuldra, the Dark Sea. things she had thought were fairy tales before...now she knew it was all real. She skimmed the pages until she found what she was looking for. The story of a illustration was of a tall man with a long beard and a staff, but his eyes in the image were bright and intelligent. The story says he was the advisor to a king, but in his temper had turned against him and had been banished. Anna read and re-read the story, but nothing new stood out to her.

But then something ignited. A small, burning memory.

Kristoff had had a nightmare.

_He and Anna were in the Forest. The mist had descended and made the ground nearly invisible. He was walking beside her when suddenly she wasn't there anymore. He turned to see sher was behind him, reaching for him- her hands had turned an icy blue. "Kristoff!" she had called, but that was all she could say before she was frozen. He had run to her, wrapped his arms around her, trying to bring her back. He said her name over and over, but she stared back at him with eyes full of fear, unable to say a word. Then, under his hands she burst into flames. She screamed as they engulfed her, Kristoff powerless to stop it. _

_A maniacal laugh echoed, and Hans emerged from the flames. Anna had dissolved into dust. _

Kristoff woke up slowly... for a moment he forgot where he was. The empty bed beside him startled him awake. "Anna?" he said groggily, but when she didn't reply he became more worried. "Anna!?" He started to walk, then run through the castle halls, looking for any sign of trouble or where Anna could have gone. Finally he ran past the library door, then stopped in his tracks. Someone inside was talking.

He slowly pushed open the heavy door and his heart slowed again. Anna was sitting in the window seat, her eyes fixed on the heavy book in front of her, then shook her head and turned the page, nodding slowly. Her red hair glowed in the half light of the morning.

Kristoff sighed in relief. "There you are." Anna started, looking up.

"Here I am." She said, smiling when she saw it was him.

"What have you got there?" Kristoff walked over and sat down beside her, the two of them cozy together. The snow tapped on the glass of the window as the weather worsened.

"I was thinking...about Hans, and how he got powers. And I think I know."

Kristoff took the book from her hands. "Göran? But he's a myth, a story!"

"I don't think he is. Look at this." Anna got up and brought over a small tower of books she had collected that morning. "Histories of the Palace, the Kings advisors. Stuff that no one else knows about." Kristoff took a book from the top of the pile in his hand and turned it over. The cover was leather with gold and silver thread intertwining. It felt oddly heavy.

"How did you get this?" he asked quietly. Anna gave him a look. "Well I am the Queen." She took the book from his hands and continued "And besides, I don't think Mattias will notice these are gone until he wakes up. Did you know he snores?" Kristoff laughed, shaking his head.

"I-I did not. Did you really need to sneak into his room? Like you said, you are the queen- you could have just-" he gestured "Ordered someone to go find them for you."

Anna shrugged, pretending to read the book titles. In truth, she had never liked bossing people around, especially this early.

"Look here." she held out a large book; inside was an image that looked like a family tree, but from each king and queen there branched a name to an image.

"These are all the kings and those who advised them during their rule. But look...there."

She trailed her finger down the page, tracing the line between King Runeard and his advisor…"Göran" Kristoff said, surprised. Anna nodded solemnly, but her eyes sparkled with glee. "See!? And look look look…" she snuggled closer and placed the book over their laps.

"See here? The line to Göran is only this long, while the others are much longer, and then after that, there are no more advisors."

Kristoff looked at her, bewildered.

"Wait, hold on. So after your grandfather _supposedly_ banished his _evil wizard advisor_, none of the other kings had one?" Anna shook her head. "The last ruler before me was Father, and he never had one either. See? He's not even listed in the book." She showed the line from Runeard, and it stopped at the bottom of the page.

"And you think this wizard...gave Hans powers?" Anna shrugged. "It's the only thing that makes sense to me right now."

She showed Kristoff all she had found, all the dead end stories that maybe _weren't _dead ends. And that was how Mattias found the two of them; reading and discussing things in hushed excited voices, and he smiled at the scene. He coughed quietly to make his presence known

and they both looked up. "General Mattias!" Anna smiled, moving some of the books behind a cushion. "Did you sleep well?" Mattias smiled. "I did, thank you. But, my Queen- The royal messenger has just delivered this to me, and I assumed it was urgent." he walked over and held out the letter to her, then the books caught his eye.

"Are those from my room?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. Anna pretended not to hear him- she was busy delicately opening the envelope, the ice that sealed it melting at her touch.

"It's from Elsa." she breathed. Anna opened it slowly, as if it might shatter in her hands.

"_Dear Anna- _

_Everything here in the Forest is wonderful- the people are preparing for the winter, and Atahallen has given me more comfort in my powers than ever before. Thank you for asking. _

_I hope you and Kristoff, along with Olaf and Sven, are well and keeping warm in this freezing time. _

_Arendell is lucky to have you. As are we all. _

_All My Love- Elsa._

_Ps. Please do not worry if you don't hear from me- we are busy preparing for the incoming storm, but we are all fine, I promise."_

Anna remembered the last letter she had sent her sister. It had been three long pages of questions and confirmations that they would see each other again. That everything in both kingdoms was well. And she had answered...two of them. A small flame of rage lit in her stomach.

"Take this please, Mattias. I wish to speak to Kristoff alone."

She thrust the letter to Mattias, and waited until she heard the door shut. Kristoff walked towards her. "Are you okay?" Anna brushed him off. "NO. No I am not. She's not talking, something's wrong. I can't-I can't right now. Hans is HERE. Elsa is gone, _again_. I just...I need to think- I'm going to write her another letter." She gathered up the books and marched out of the room, her night dress flowing behind her, leaving Kristoff alone in the dark.

_-In the dungeons-_

Hans was shackled, sitting in the cold dungeon where he had locked Elsa those years before. His hands were confined, but warm. He was waiting.

A clashing of keys and one of the guards, a young man named Samuel, came through the door.

"The guards are coming to return you to the courts, where you will be charged with attempted murder of the highest order." he announced, staring at the wall behind Hans, avoiding his eyes.

"I can't go."

"No one can help you now. You have failed; you'll be sent back to your country a traitor and a fool." The guard looked smug. "The princess is somewhere you'll never find her. And the Queen is under our constant protection." Hans hung his head, thinking.

"Do you know where she is? The Princess?" he asked quietly, his eyes downcast.

"Yes. Everyone does." The guard was wary. Hans lifted his head and smiled. Samuel stepped back in fear.

"_Tell me_."

When the guards arrived to take Hans to the courts, they were met with a terrible sight. Samuel lay on the floor, his uniform scorched with blistering burns beneath. Hans' was no where to be seen, his chains in a mangled heap on the floor.

"Help…" Samuel whispered. He was bleeding, his hands clutching his sides. "Where is the prisoner?" The guard asked, dreading the answer.


	2. Chapter 2

"Queen Anna!" Mattias burst into Anna's personal office. Anna whipped her head up from her desk, where she had been pouring over her letter to Elsa, which was taking far too long with her bandaged hands.

"The prisoner has escaped!" Despite his usual calm, he was frantic.

"What!? No!" Anna dropped her quill and leaped to her feet; she ran to the window, as if she could catch a glimpse of Hans. She turned back to Mattias, who stood attention.

"Order the borders to be closed. He must not leave this kingdom."

"Already done, Your Majesty."

"Every guard must be ready. Do not let them stand alone. He's dangerous."

"Understood your Majesty."

Anna nodded, and Mattias backed out of the room. Anna stared out the window again, the little flame of rage in her burned hotter.

"He escaped?" Kristoff's mouth fell open. Anna had gone to the stables, where Kristoff was tending to Sven. She stood with her arms crossed. "I don't know what to do now. I have to think…" She stared off at nothing, trying to think of how they could fix this.

Kristoff held his head in his hands.

"I should have killed him when I had the chance. _He was right there." _He groaned and stood, kicking a bale of hay. Sven nickered wearily. Anna didn't respond, not wanting to admit she had had a similar thought of her own. The little flame of rage flared in regret. She smiled warmly at her fiance.

"Kristoff you couldn't have have done that- that's not who you are."Anna said consolingly; she touched his shoulder, then recoiled. "ow…." she took her hand back. Her bandages had started to smoke. " Kristoff?" she said in alarm. He looked at her hand, surprised. It had begun to throw little sparks. Sven backed up. "What's happening!?" Anna started to panic, the pain of the flames was becoming overwhelming the larger they grew- her bandages crumbled into ash and fell to the floor. Sparks flew into the air and landed on the hay-bales around them, which started to smoke. Sven reared up in panic. Without hesitation Kristoff swept Anna up in his arms and rushed her outside into the snow. "Stay here, keep them covered." He said urgently as he placed her on a snowdrift and buried her hands in the snow. A cloud of steam rose over her face, and then he was gone. "Kristoff!" She shouted. He had run back into the stables, which were glowing with flames now. She waited, powerless to stop the fire. Every time she tried to move from the snow, her hands would flame hotter and she would have to plunge them back under the drift. "Kristoff!" he had been gone too long, the smoke was billowing now. It filled her nose and mouth, her lungs protested and she coughed desperately. The blizzard winds whipped around her, blowing ash into her eyes.

There was shouting now, guards had seen the flames and had come to help. Kristoff still hadn't come out. Now horses came galloping out of the stables and guards were rushing through the snow, pounding on the walls that crumbled under their fists.

"Here! He's here!" There was shouting and two guards came out of the wreckage, a limp Kristoff supported between them.

"Kristoff!" Anna called out. The guards brought him over to her and lay him in the snow. He was covered in soot, and here and there were holes in his tunic. His eyes were closed, ash clung to his eyelashes. Behind them people had brought buckets of water and snow to throw over the fire, and it had begun to die down. "Is he...okay?" Anna asked one of the guards who sat down beside her. She couldn't say the word 'alive.'

The guard nodded. "He was getting the horses get out safely. His reindeer was one of the first out. Lord Kristoff took in too much smoke, but he should be fine, your majesty." he bowed his head and signaled his companion to follow him. The two of them left Anna and Kristoff alone. "I'm so sorry Kristoff." Anna said quietly, her eyes fixed on his barely moving face. She stayed silent, until suddenly Kristoff began to cough and sputter- he opened his eyes and took a gulping deep breath. Anna gasped and threw herself over him, holding him tightly. "You're okay! Oh thank goodness." "Anna- Anna baby I...can't breathe." he wheezed.

"Oh sorry sorry." Anna pulled herself away from him while he sat up.

"Is everyone okay?" Kristoff asked, looking at the crumbling structure that used to be the stables.

"Everyone got out. Thanks to you." Anna started to touch his face, but drew back at the sight of her blackened hand, which, even though it had stopped burning, was still smoking menacingly. Kristoff eyed it as well.

"I know what we have to do." he said determinedly

_The blizzard raged on, whipping sleet and snow into Hans' eyes and face. But he felt nothing. He ran across the frozen fjords, the ice cracking under his feet. He had one thought on his mind. _

_Find Elsa._

_Kill Elsa. _

It took a lot of persuading before the palace guards would let Anna and Kristoff go out into the storm alone. Even then, they weren't truly alone, as Mattias had insisted on following close behind on horseback.

So they set out, that little parade. Kristoff drove the sleigh while Anna sat in the back, her hands still smoldering but not burning- though there was a bucket of water next to her should they burst into flames. Sven pulled the sleigh, pressing forward through the storm. Anna huddled under a quilt, trying to block out the wind.

"Lord Kristoff!" Mattias shouted through the snow, "I don't mean to question your judgement my lord, but are you sure this is the way!?"

"Just a little further!" Kristoff called back. He peered through the snow, looking for...then he saw it!

"There! We're there!"

The vents in the valley kept back the snow, and green moss continued to grow. Sven nickered happily at the familiar place, and Kristoff himself couldn't help but smile. Mattias gazed about in wonder. "It's warm!" He exclaimed.

"The valley keeps in the heat from the vents, which keeps out the snow and ice."

Kristoff explained knowledgeably , climbing down from the driver's seat.

"Fascinating." Mattias' gaze followed the valley's cliff side as he dismounted.

"Kristoff, do you think they'll be able to...to do anything?" Anna looked around, her hands clutching each other while Kristoff lifte her out of the sleigh.

"I hope so. I'm sure they will." Kristoff backtracked at the worry on Anna's face.

He then turned to the valley walls and started shouting. "Guys! Come on out, it's me!" he walked around, knocking on boulders. Mattias looked at him suspiciously, his hand on his sword.

Suddenly there was a low rumbling and the ground beneath their feet shook. Anna looked down and her face broke into a smile of relief. Mattias jumped, unsheathing his weapon.

"No no no it's okay!" Anna held up her hands and a small flame burst forward. Mattias ducked and rolled to the ground.

"Sorry!" Anna said sheepishly, stuffing her smoking hands under her arms, the skin stinging. The rumbling grew louder and a stampede of boulders came into view from the far side of the valley.

"What the…" Mattias' eyes widened; the boulders created a circle around Kristoff, rolling in formation before finally coming to a stop.

For a moment there was only the sound of the wind ...and then...

"KRISTOFF'S HOME!"

The boulders formed the shapes of little people with rounded features and bright eyes. The valley was momentarily lit with the warm glow of the orange, green and blue stones they wore around their necks.

Kristoff's mother, a troll named Bulda, leaped onto Kristoff's back.

"I've missed you! Why haven't you come home to see us? What have you been doing in that palace!?" She clambered over his shoulders and stood on his head, looking, upside down, into his eyes. "Are you drinking water? Your eyes are cloudy." Kristoff smiled and picked her off his head. "I'm drinking I promise. But I actually need to see Grand Pabbie." Bulda looked past him to Anna, whose hands were clutching to her sides. She looked back at Kristoff. "You've got to watch out for this girl, you hear? She seems very," she lowered her voice "_accident prone"_ Kristoff raised his eyebrows, then started to speak. But Bulda patted his cheek and turned her attention to Anna.

"What can I help you with, sugar?" Bulda walked over to Anna, who knelt down to receive a kiss on the forehead. Bulda pulled back, her nose twitching. "You smell like a forest fire. What have you been _doing,_ my dear?" Anna held out her hands; her skin was burnt and charred, her palms still smoking from the blast at Mattias. "Oh...oh my." Bulda took the girls hands in her own and examined them. "Wait." She held up Anna's left hand, then touched the fingers one by one, until she got to the fourth, where a small golden band shone against her ashy finger.

A joyous cry rang through the Valley of the Living Rock

Once the excitement and the congratulations had calmed, Kristoff explained what happened- how Hans had attacked Anna, Anna interjected how she wouldn't be alive if it weren't for Kristoff, who blushed and became silent. "He's going to kill my sister if I don't find a way to stop him. Can you help us, please?" Bulda looked to her fellow trolls, then to Anna. with a nod, she took her hand and began to lead her away. "Queen Anna." Mattias stood in front of them. "It's alright, Mattias. I'll be just fine." Conflicted, Mattias stepped aside.

"Thank you." Anna said softly.

Bulda led Anna to a small cave in the side of the cliffs. From the cave came a soft glowing green light. "Pabbie?" Bulda stopped at the entrance of the cave. Anna saw there was a large fire in the middle of the cave, casting warmth and light upon the walls. The elder troll was seated next to the fire, eyes closed and muttering to himself. Bulda brought Anna in, then backed away slowly.

"Queen Anna." Pabbie did not turn, but continued to move his hands over the flickering flames of the fire. Anna sat on the stone floor behind him

"I've been expecting you to return."

Anna looked confused. He turned around to face her, illuminated from behind. _Like an angel_, Anna thought.

"You and your sister attract danger, it seems." The old troll looked sadly to her burned hands. "Yes, it seems we do." Anna sat up straighter. She was a queen, she wasn't a helpless little girl anymore.

Pabbie looked at her hands, then into her eyes. Wordlessly he dug his hand into a pouch at his side- from the pouch he drew a handful of powder, which he threw on the fire.

Images glowed on the ceiling of the cave.

"Your sister, her power and status were was caused her the most trouble. Her power was blessed upon her by Atahallen, you understand." Anna gazed in wonder at the softly glowing form of Elsa, first casting snow over her, then freezing the tidal wave that threatened to destroy their kingdom. "She did that? I never knew that…"

Pabbie nodded. "Her power was a blessing. Yours…" he threw more powder into the flame.

"Is a curse.- I have sensed this magic before, when a powerful, dangerous man lived in Arendelle."

The flames flashed a bright red; Anna covered her eyes, moving back from the flames that reached the ceiling. "I believe he is the one who has granted power to the man who attacked you."

In the smoke, thick and grey; the figure of a tall man with dark eyes appeared over head, then the image changed and Anna saw her and Hans, surrounded by a ring of fire. "It was in this moment this curse was placed upon you." Pabbie waved his hands, and the image changed. Hans was moving in slow motion, his hand aflame, grabbing at Anna's flesh. At the moment the image of Hans grabbed her likeness, Anna felt a terrible burning. She screamed, springing to her feet and clawing at her dress. Under her layers, her flesh burned a bright angry red- a hand print on her shin. "Please, please make it stop!" she collapsed on the ground, crying in pain. Pabbie waddled over to her and pressed his hands to the burn. The feel of his cold stone hands lessened the pain. He chanted in a low, slow voice. Anna felt herself become more and more sleepy...and then there was no longer a burning, but only a lovely warmth….

"Anna? Anna!"

Kristoff knelt beside his love, her eyes were closed and she looked unharmed, but she was barely breathing.

"What happened?" He turned from Bulda to Pabbie. Neither had any answer. "Did you heal her? Did you fix her hands?" He had run up to the cave when he heard her scream, but when he had arrived she was like this, sprawled on the floor. "Answer me!" He hated this. Would there ever going to be a time her life wasn't threatened? When her lifeless form wouldn't haunt his thoughts?

"I cannot...I cannot fix this, Kristoff." Pabbie lowered his head. Kristoff's shoulders dropped. "She is cursed, and the only one who can remove the curse is the one who placed it." Kristoff sat beside Anna. His gaze lingered on her blackened hands, and suddenly he saw red. _Hans._ "I'll make him remove it." He growled in a low voice.

"I'll make him remove it and then I'll tear him limb from limb."

Anna stirred and her eyes slowly opened. "What- What happened?" she started to sit up, Kristoff wrapped his arm around her shoulders to support her.

"My dear, this curse is too powerful for even me to remove." Pabbie explained what he had told Kristoff to her, while Kristoff helped her to her feet. Anna stayed silent, then thanked Pabbie for his help. "My queen, wait." Pabbie followed them to the edge of the cave. "I may not be able to remove this power, but I can help you control it." from his pouch he pulled a small stone, a crystal that glowed a bright red. "This is a fire crystal. It will help you command the flames and resist their control over you." he placed the crystal in Anna's hands, and from where it touched her skin began to change, the soot and ash faded away, the burns healed instantly. "The trolls use them to keep our forests from destruction, and it will do the same for you." Anna stared at her hands, the glow of the crystal illuminating her face. Kristoff saw something change in her.

They reunited with Mattias, who was sitting on the ground, deep in conversation with the trolls; a small troll had gotten ahold of his sword and was unsteadily swinging it.

"Mattias. We're leaving." Anna looked different,Mattias noticed, she stood taller, her face set. "I'm ready when you are, your Majesty." He jumped to his feet and and tried to get his sword from the little troll, who giggled, delighted, and took off running with it. "Come back here! I'll be right back, your Majesty!" Mattias jogged after the small boulder.

Anna smiled briefly before turning to Kristoff. The crystal was still clutched in her hand.

"We need to find Göran."

"Okay…" Kristoff paused. "But Anna, how are we going to do that? No one has seen any sign of him for-" he counted on his fingers "ages!"

Anna held out her hand, and a small flame erupted there. Kristoff stepped back.

She looked deadly serious. "I think part of me knows how."


	3. Chapter 3

_The forest loomed over him. The trees a wall of darkness against the fading grey light. Then, somewhere deep in the forest, a blast of ice blue light erupted into the sky. _

_A manic smile broke over Hans' face, and he charged through the trees to the light. _

Elsa had never seen a storm like this, not without her being the root cause of it. The wind was whipping around the tree trunks, the sound a delightful howling that rang through the forest. Thanks to her powers and the traditional Northuldra dress she wore, Elsa felt no cold, only elation. The tribe was settling in, the campsite packed up and the tents tied down, everyone was retreating to their warm quarters. "Elsa. You should be coming inside." Honeymaren placed a hand on Elsa's shoulder and gave her a smile. "You know the cold doesn't bother me." Elsa said with a raise of her eyebrow. Honeymaren laughed. "That's true, _but_ you being out here alone in the cold bothers _me._" she put a hand to her heart and looked up at Elsa through her eyelashes. The wind whipped her black hair around her face. "Please, please come inside out of the wind." she stuck out her lip and gave Elsa the best puppy dog eyes she'd ever seen. Elsa laughed and gave her a little boop on her nose. "Okay okay I'm coming. I just want to try something first." Honeymaren crossed her arms and looked Elsa up and down. "Okay, go ahead." Elsa turned her back to her and spread her arms. From the ground, from the underwater springs that flowed into the dark sea, came a wall of ice. Honeymaren gasped as Elsa manipulated the ice and water to bend and curve over the camp. When she was finished there was a dome of ice over the Northuldra. The wind still howled, but it could no longer touch them. Honeymaren turned walked over to the wall of ice, which was a milky white. She ran her hand along it and whistled lowly. "_Wow_. That was clever."

Elsa smiled. "You think so?"

Honeymaren looked at her and laughed, the sound echoing against the ice.

"Elsa you just made an igloo big enough for the entire tribe! I think that's pretty amazing." she walked over and put her hands on Elsa's shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "I think YOU'RE pretty amazing." Elsa's face, so pale and cold, was suddenly tinted the prettiest shade of pink. She stuttered a response, then quickly turned to the tents. "We should...get out of the cold." She gestured lamely to the tents. Honeymaren started to follow her, but then-

_CRACK_

The ice around them started to break, splintering and threatening to collapse. "Honey, move!" Elsa screamed as the ice around them started to shatter and fall to the ground. Honey raced from the wall to safety. Elsa started shooting the ice with her magic, lifting it off of the ground and deflecting it away from the camps. People had started to come out of their tents at the noise. The small children cried out in fear.

"It's okay everyone! The Fifth Spirit will protect us!"

Honey ushered them away from the tents while Elsa struggled under the weight of the ice.

"_ELSA_." a shout from the edge of the ice.

That voice registered something in the back of Elsa's head. "Oh no…" Elsa whispered under her breath. The ice shattered, causing the Northuldra people to cower against the sleet.

Hans stood on the edge of the ice, the wind whipped his cape around him. His hair was longer than the last time she had seen him, and he had a long red scar across his face. He was staring at her with something savage in his eyes.

He held open his arms and cackled. "What's the matter, _Queen Elsa_? I just want to _**talk**__."_ with that final word Hans shot a blast of fire towards her. She blocked it, but only barely. "What…" Elsa stared at him in horror. Hans started towards her. "Get everyone away, he's dangerous!" Elsa called out to Honeymaren, who quickly rounded up the Northuldra and tried to convince the elders to not attack.

Hans saw them moving and shook his head. With a wave of his hands a circle of fire encompassed the tribe. While his head was turned Elsa charged towards him and froze his feet to the ground. Hans looked down with mild surprise. A split second later Elsa shot a blast of ice at his head. But he held up his hand and melted it before it her eyes.

Tsking and shaking his head, he melted the ice around his feet and started towards her. The trees around them had started to catch, the people of the Northuldra were restless but Honeymaren kept them back. Magic battles were not theirs to fight.

Elsa slung an arrow of ice at him, but he was ready. He melted it mid air and shot flames at her feet. She fell backwards into the snow, her head slamming into the ground. A circle of fire ensnared her, the heat was overpowering- Elsa felt herself growing weaker, her powers were fading.

"Elsa!" Honeymaren shouted, trying to pass the flames that kept her back, but they only flared higher.

"NO" Hans shouted.

"No one moves. Queen Elsa…" He turned to her, a faux expression of concern slipped across his face. "If you do not succumb to me, these people will die...this forest with burn...and your sister, your sister will have suffered in vain." he ended with a chuckle.

Elsa, who was fighting to keep the darkness that crept into her vision at bay, looked up at him at the mention of her sister.

"Anna? You...You were in Arendell?" Hans turned up his nose. "It was that brat who gave me this, nearly ruining my beautiful face." he gestured to his scar. Then he smiled. "But soon no one will remember her, or you. Just me, the new king of Arende-AGH!" Hans collapsed in pain. Behind him stood Honeymaren, brandishing a solid wooden staff. "Honey!" Elsa gasped. Hans growled and whipped around, knocking Honeymaren to the ground, where she scrambled to get away. "NO MORE." Hans thrust his hand into the air and an enormous flame encased Honeymaren, who began to scream. "No, no STOP!" Elsa fought her way through the flames and shot an arrow of ice into Hans' arm. It pierced his skin, then melted, blending with the blood she had drawn. He looked at her with unmatched fury. The flame that burned Honeymaren dropped away, and she collapsed on the ground. For a moment there was silence, broken only by the howling of the wind.

"Leave them ALONE." Elsa stood strong, her loose hair blowing in the breeze, her eyes a determined grey. Honeymaren wasn't moving, and the fear that her lifeless body stirred in her was immobilizing.

"If you leave these people, if you leave them be...I will let you live. You can go free."

Hans stared at her, un-reacting.

And then he laughed. A horrendous sound.

"It's amazing how you think you're calling the shots here, Elsa. Your idiocy is unparalleled, truly." and with that, the fireball he had been forming in his hand was let loose, and struck Elsa's head.

_The rush of heat. _

_The darkness…_

_Then nothing. _


	4. Chapter 4

There is a special blue that the sky turns at dusk, an almost periwinkle . The blizzard had settled for the night, and the sky was almost clear, save for a small bank of clouds that approached slowly from the horizon. Along the edge of the Valley of Living Rock, Kristoff and Sven followed behind Queen Anna, who followed a small flame that bounced happily along in front of her. Mattias had been sent back to the kingdom under Anna's strict orders.

Kristoff walked up behind her, the snow melted in her wake.

"Anna, are you sure this is going to lead us to Goran?" He asked Anna's retreating back. "I don't know how, but yes...I can just feel it." she replied, her attention still focused on the little flame. Kristoff looked back at Sven and shrugged. The little flame cast a light in front of them, creating a hallway of light through the encroaching dark- it was leading them away from anywhere Kristoff recognized, which made him nervous. A twig snapped and he saw Anna's head twitch at the sound. "Maybe we should stop, take a rest." he suggested, laying a hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off.

"No. We can't stop. We have to find Goran. We have to stop Hans."

The flame grew brighter at her words. Kristoff looked at her, worried.

"Anna, we've been traveling all day- it took us at least three days to get to the Forest before, Hans can't be there already. Please just rest." he tried again to reach for her, but she swung around at him. "NO, Kristoff!." the flame grew, the heat forced Kristoff away from her. He stayed back, but he was angry now. "Anna you're not thinking clearly!"

That's when it happened. Anna yelled in frustration and the flame engulfed some of the surrounding trees, sending them up in flames. A tree branch came down between them; Anna stood, glowering at Kristoff, her hands still in flames.

"I am sick and tired of everyone telling me to _calm down,_ _change _how I am. _This is who I am_, Kristoff! I am not going to stop until Hans is dead. And you can't stop me."

Kristoff had never seen her so angry. He tried to reason with her, to talk her down.

"You're going to kill Hans? Anna I don't-" ''I don't want to hear it! I'm not asking- I'm telling you; I'm going to kill Hans-and you can't stop me." She shot a ball of fire at the nearest tree and it dissolved into ash, covering the clearing where they stood in a grey cloud.

Ashe filled Kristoff's lungs and eyes, and he collapsed on the ground, choking for breath.

When the grey cloud finally cleared, the trees were smoking menacingly, and Anna was nowhere to be seen.

_The Northuldra weren't about to give up their Fifth Spirit without a fight- but they were no match for Hans. When Elsa hit the ground, Honeymaren led the charge through the ring of fire. _

_But Hans was stronger, and hungry for blood. He burned their village, their homes, to the ground. The reindeer scattered in fear of the flames, and the people of the tribe were badly injured from his attacks. Honeymaren didn't give up until she was within feet of Hans. She attacked him with vengeance, and when she struck him, he struck back. _

_Honeymaren was sprawled on the hard ground, the last defense for the queen of ice and snow, who was dragged away from the people she had sworn to protect. _

Anna made her way through the darkness. The little flame had led her farther and farther from where she had left Kristoff, which stirred worry in a very small part of her, a quiet protest that she should go back, that she shouldn't have left him in the first place. The rest of her was consumed with getting to Hans as fast as possible, before he could hurt anyone else.

The little flame bounced ahead of her, until it suddenly stopped. It had led them to a steep cliff face. At the top of the cliff Anna could see a cave opening, from which there was wispy green smoke spiraling.

She knew she was in the right place.

"GORAN!"

She shouted with all she had, the sound ricocheting through the valley. She saw no way to get up the cliff, but she was determined to see the man who had caused all this chaos.

The silence that followed was infuriating.

"GORAN!" She shouted again. _What? does he have something better to do? _She thought to herself, her hands starting to grow hotter.

"_GORAN!" _

"Will you stop that shouting? The whole forest can hear you." came a voice from behind her.

Anna jumped, flames erupting on both sides of her. She turned to see who had spoken.

An old man with a long white beard and staff stood on the edge of the forest, a basket of what looked like berries sat in the snow beside him. He was staring at Anna with what looked like confused awe. "Goran?" Anna asked, her flames diminishing to a dim glow. The man snorted and picked up his basket. "Who wants to know? Is the kingdom in shambles now that I'm gone?" He walked away with his nose in the air. "What? No, Arendelle's never been better- they- _we_ have a new queen." Goran stopped, then turned to look at her. "What...did you say?" "We have a new queen- and she needs your help." Goran raised his eyebrows and looked slyly at Anna. "Oh ho hoooo I see! The moment I leave the king dies of heartbreak, and suddenly a _woman _requires my high guidance to run the kingdom...yes yes I knew it would come down to this." He was twisting his beard around his fingers, apparently lost in thought. "Ahem." Anna coughed. Goran snapped back to reality. "I'm sorry what did you want? Are you here to take me back to Arendelle? Because I'm sorry the curse against me forbids me from entering its grounds. I cast it myself, I should know." Anna was confused "But if you cast the curse, surely you should be able to undo it." Goran shook his head. "Alas. I knew what I was capable of, and when the king brought my angry, jealous side to my attention, I cast myself out of Arendelle in shame…" Goran hung his head. "I never wished to harm the king or his kingdom- each day I grew jealous of his power over his people, and that grew into a flame I could not control" his eyes were downcast, but a smile was forming over his lips

"...but you'd know all about that, wouldn't you, Queen Anna?"

"How did you know-" Anna started, but Goran waved his hand to dismiss her. "Everyone always asks me 'But how did you KNOW?'" He laughed dryly. "I'm a psychic! I'm a magician! It's kind of WHAT I DO!" He continued to laugh until it became a maddening cackle. He collapsed into the snow, clutching his sides and gasping for breath. Anna was shocked. This was the almighty wizard she had come so far to meet? _This _is who her sister's life depended on? "Goran...GORAN _please_ I need your help!" she shouted, her frustration clear in the catch in her throat. Goran froze, eyeing her suspiciously. "What do you want from me?"

"Shouldn't you already know that?" Anna crossed her arms and scowled. Goran rolled his eyes and got out of the snow. "It's impolite to just KNOW everything, my dear. But yes, the man who was here but a fortnight ago. He is why you are here." Anna's stomach dropped. This proved it.

"I need you to take away his powers. Now, please." Goran scoffed "you think I can just SNAP MY FINGERS and he'll go back to the way he was before? No! Gods...these things take TIME, they take PREPARATION! The potion alone takes weeks to make, and the moon is in the wrong position…" he began to pace, gesturing as he spoke to himself. "Goran, please, please, I'm begging you, is there anything you can do TONIGHT? My sister's life depends on it!" Anna clutched her hands together. "No, afraid not. I'm sorry but there is absolutely nothing I can do to help yo-GAH WHAT ARE YOU DOING" Anna had leaped forward and grabbed the front of Goran's robes and pulled him to face her- they were nearly nose to nose when she spoke. "I am warning you, Goran- if my sister dies because you decided you wanted to play God and give a mad-man control over fire, then I will make sure that you suffer more than you can imagine." Looking into her green eyes, Goran saw nothing but burning anger. His robe had started to smoke under her palms. "Okay okay I'll help you!" He squeaked. She dropped his robes and he staggered backwards. Once he had gotten far enough away, he looked her up and down, then wordlessly beckoned her to follow him.

"The man, he came here with the desire to protect his people- from a sorceress who commanded the elements of ice and snow." Goran spoke in a quiet voice- they were in a small cave in the forest, walking through a tunnel to the top of the cliff. A strange, musty sent filled the tunnel as they walked. "He said he needed the powers to protect. I didn't...I didn't see the outcome…Oh but it had been so long since I had performed a ritual- I had missed the feeling." Goran looked wistfully into the distance as he spoke. Anna sighed, agitated.

"But he didn't need to defend his people. He HAS NO PEOPLE. My sister isn't the type to attack for no reason! She's not even that open to people she LIKES! She has boundary issues for goodness sake... He just wants to kill her for her throne...I mean my throne." Anna was panicking. Hans must have found Elsa by now, this was taking too long.

"Do not be afraid, my queen. I have something that will help you, and cure you and this deceptive man of your powers." "I am not afraid." Anna said immediately- Goran looked over his shoulder at her. "Good."

They came to the end of the tunnel, which opened up to the cave Anna had seen before. The whole place was filled with the orange glow of the fire, along with boxes of berries and bottles. Anna waited by the mouth of the tunnel while Goran puttered around, shifting boxes and peering at the faded labels of bottles.

"I know it's around here somewhere."

A few more minutes went by when finally he held up a small vial triumphantly. "Yes! Here it is." a little vial, unassuming in size or color, but when he placed it in Anna's hands, she felt a surge of energy flow through her. "If this comes in contact with that man, it will strip him of all of his power-but...It may kill him." Anna didn't hesitate.

"That is a chance I'm willing to take."


	5. Chapter 5

_Hans brought Elsa to the edge of the Dark Sea. She floated behind him on a cloud of smoke, like some demended magic trick._

_Once they arrived at its shores, the wind was howling from the oncoming second wave of the blizzard. Hans dropped Elsa's limp body at the edge of the waves, then drew his sword. He positioned it over her, the sword tip just grazing the front of her clothes. Hans took a deep breath. He was so close, all he had to do is plunge the sword into her heart, and he would be one step away from being the King of Arendelle. He looked at her pale face against the dark grey of the beach- she looked calm, peaceful. _

_Almost dead. _

_He pulled the sword a little higher, bolstering his will. "Come on...COME ON." he shouted, his voice lost in the wind. _

_But he couldn't do it. This isn't how he wanted to win. There was no honor or skill in this. _

_He was still standing over her, sword in position, when a roaring voice broke through the sound of the wind and crashing waves. _

"_HANS!" _

_He whipped his head around and growled. _

_Kristoff was at the edge of where the trees met the beach. Astride Sven, he looked as regal and feral as one could be at the same time. _

_The reindeer king was there to defend his family. _

"_Let's finish this, bastard." Hans said under his breath. _

"_I will have my victory." _

Kristoff had been riding for miles, shouting for Anna. He was angry that she had left him, but he was more worried about finding her. He could be mad at her once he knew she was alive.

He couldn't think how she disappear among the trees he knew so well, without leaving a trace. There were no tracks. The blizzard had blown the snow over them, and there was no path of melted snow- it was as if she had simply vanished.

And that made Kristoff nervous.

Sven groaned beneath him. "It's okay buddy- I'm sure she's okay." Kristoff patted Svens neck, which perked the reindeer somewhat. Then Sven stopped, frozen. His ears were pricked, listening for something.

"What is it Sven?" Kristoff strained his ears, then he heard it; Through the wind and the snow that swirled above the trees, there was the faint sound of waves crashing. .

"Come on bud." Kristoff steered Sven towards the sound, feeling, for the first time in a while, claustrophobic in the woods.

They came to the edge of the forest; as his eyes adjusted to the sudden wind and snow, Krisotff saw a figure with bright red hair staring over the ocean. "Anna!?" Kristoff felt his heart lift. But the figure was too skinny, too frail to be Anna...the hair was too short… Then he saw the body.

"_HANS!" _

It was a sight to see, the battle that ensued. Kristoff rode across the beach at Hans, who ran towards him. With the waves crashing in the background, Hans threw an orange fire blast at him, knocking Kristoff back. This continued awhile- Kristoff gaining ground, then being pushed back by Hans, then charging again. Finally, Hans tired and Kristoff urged Sven forward, dodging another fireball and kicking Hans square in the chest, flattening him to the ground. Kristoff dismounted and pinned Hans beneath him. his face was inches from his. "You don't deserve my mercy." He growled, pulling a rope from his belt. Kristoff tied his limbs and left him there.

Hans struggled against the bonds. Kristoff, breathing heavily, looked down at the weasel of a man beneath him. Hans started to say something- Kristoff brought his boot down and skull met shore.

The prince was silent.

Kristoff heaved a sigh of relief, the tension slowly releasing from his form.

But it only lasted a moment. His eyes caught the glittering of ice. "Elsa. Elsa!" Kristoff ran to her, but she was still as lifeless as before. He tried to move her, but the ice around her had anchored itself into the sand, and wouldn't budge.

He slumped down beside her, not daring to look at her lifeless face- a tear stung his eye.

The only sound was that of the waves and the blood pounding in his ears.


	6. Chapter 6 (The End)

Anna stepped onto the icy shores of the Dark Sea. The little flame has led her here to find Hans. Her mind has been consumed with that one thought, over and over

_Killhanskillhanskillhanskillhans _

And there he was. She could clearly see him, laid out on the beach, his red hair a dull rusted red against the grey sand. Then she sees nothing but red. Someone has beaten her to her goal, and Hans is dead from the hand of another.

Around her, the storm had picked up, whipping her cloak behind her. She was a vision of anger and passion. She saw Kristoff there, walking towards her, relief flooding his face. Then he saw her expression.

The feeling of injustice and being robbed of chance to defeat her villain, Anna throws herself at Kristoff-

Kristoff dodges the attack, the relief he felt dissolving as he realizes that he is now the target of Anna's uncharacteristic rage. He ducked again, a fireball coming so close to his head he felt the heat on the back of his neck. "Anna! Stop! It's me! I'm not going to hurt you!"

"You ruined it! You stole my chance at victory!" Anna growled. Kristoff winced. The voice that came from her mouth has not Anna, but the roar of a furnace in flames.

"Anna...Anna watch out!" Kristoff charged forward and threw her out of the way just in time. Her breath was knocked out of her, then she saw it. Hans had regained consciousness, and had attacked her while her back was turned. The ropes that Kristoff had bound him with were now in flames, and snaking their way around Kristoff's body, which writhed in pain.

The red behind Anna's eyes disappeared.

"NO! Hans, STOP!" she screamed, running towards Kristoff. "Isn't this what you wanted, _princess?"_

Hans cackled. "Well now's your chance!" He threw down the ropes, which continued to tighten and burn into Kristoff's clothes, which had begun to smoke.

"Come on! Prove that you have what it takes to defeat me!"

Hans stood there with open arms, his red hair standing on end.

Anna hesitated for a moment.

With a flick of her hand, the flames from the ropes blew out, collecting in a ball in her palm. Kristoff was still, but he was alive and that was all that mattered. Hans looked from her to Kristoff. His cockiness had diminished. "Well...Someone learned a new trick; interesting. But not enough." Swooping his arms, a wall of fire flooded over Anna. she closed her eyes and let it crash over her. The heat was nothing but a warm rush of air.

The tips of her hair smoked, but she stood unharmed.

"You cannot hurt me, Hans. Not anymore." with a snap of her fingers a line of fire snakes across the stones, and Hans finds he cannot tear his eyes away from the red light. He is frozen in place as the fire begins to coil its way around his boots, then his calves, all the way up to his neck, around his arms and hands.

He is nervous, but tries to keep his composure- "Hahaa...Anna...you cannot burn me! This fire comes from within me! At this very moment, I could destroy you, and your sister- all this was simply in good sportsmanship- but if you don't want to play fair…" the fire begins to bite and burn his skin. His breathing becomes shallow gasping. The fire burns hotter with every step Anna takes towards him. When she reaches him, he has fallen to his knees. She looks down at him with cool disdain. Her blue eyes shine in the fading light.

"Anna, my queen, your majesty-" Hans is stammering now- his silver tongue has gotten him out of many troubles before. "You-You wouldn't kill me...I'm _sorry_ for how I acted all those years ago, but you're a merciful queen, aren't you?" She said nothing, but removed the vial from where it was latched to her belt. Hans' face filled with fear. He knew what that potion would do to him. "You couldn't kill me- you're a merciful queen! You know you don't really want to kill me."

Anna paused. She didn't really want to kill Hans, she only wanted to make it impossible for him to harm anymore. Hans saw her hesitation and pounced. "You know you don't want to kill me- what would your family think? They'd see you as a murderer, they'd shut you out again!" Anna looked to the bodies of her family, Sven kneeling beside Kristoff's still body, Elsa's icy shield growing around her.

"Yes….they'd never love you if you killed me. They've already gone through so much because of you. This would be too much." Hans whispered, the flames causing him too much pain to speak. Anna felt a small flame in her stomach again, but it wasn't one of rage or injustice. It was one of love and protection.

Anna turned back to him, her eyes a white hot blue.

"They will never shut me out. And you? You will never come near us again." With a wave of her hand the ropes began to smoke and smolder, then all at once the flame died down.

Hans collapses, but he breathes the salty air and it is heaven to his lungs. When he looks up, Anna is still standing over him. "You are a merciful queen. And that is what makes you weak. I will never stop, I will take the kingdom that is rightfully mine, I will stop at nothing until you and your sister are nothing but memories."

Anna did not even think, but uncapped the vial and poured the contents over him in an unholy baptism.

He screamed when the potion touched his skin, and he continued to until there was nothing left but his empty shell, slumped on the beach.

The sound echoed across the beach and rang in Anna's ears, the sound would haunt her.

Anna thought a tear may have escaped her eye, but when she touched her cheek there was nothing but warmth.

She turned and ran to Kristoff, who was clutching where the rope had burned into his skin.

The feeling of rage and injustice that had overcome her had evaporated into the air. She breathed his name and clutched onto his clothes, trying to lift him from the ground.

"I'm fine, I'm okay...Agh…." he groaned in pain, but he was breathing and he was alive and that was enough. Anna kissed his forehead, which was cool against her lips. "I'm sorry I'm so sorry Kristoff I'm so sorry." Her voice was high and broken. Kristoff wrapped his arms around her and pressed her head to his heart. "I'm just glad you're okay." he ignored tightness in his throat. "Anna..._Elsa…_" Anna whipped her head around and ran to her sister. The cocoon of ice had become a glacier on the shore. "Elsa!" She could just make out the outline of her sister's body. Anna touched her hands to the ice and a cloud of steam rose from her skin, and it began to crack and melt. "Elsa! It's me! I'm going to get you out!"

It seemed to take an eternity and no time at all before Elsa's body emerged. Anna sobbed as the ice melted, her tears evaporating on her cheeks. Again she thought her sister was gone, that she was alone. But she wept with relief when Elsa breathed a small cold cloud of breath into the air, her eyes focusing on Anna. "Anna..Anna...HANS!" Anna touched her hands to her sister's cheeks, which were blissfully cold beneath her skin.

"It's okay….He's gone, he can't hurt you, he can't come between us again..."

The people of Arendelle never knew of the battle that ensued, or of the danger their queen faced. All that they know is that night the blizzard stopped all at once, and the next day the Northuldra were brought to the castle to be awarded medals of honor.

The stories spread like wildfire when the Queen and Lord appeared to speak, Kristoff leaning on a tall wooden staff. The burns he had suffered would heal, but the scars would last for the rest of his life, intricate scars that resembled rivers of fire that twisted across skin, only Anna would see them when tracing her fingers over the body that had stood between her and death.

It had been a few days since the battle on the beach, and Kristoff was looking for Anna- He walked slower than before, but he no longer used the walking stick in the castle, only using it for important events Anna brought him to. (He says it makes him look more "Lord Like")

Today he is carrying two mugs of hot chocolate, but he can't find his Queen. After searching the whole castle, he finds her in the library. She is sitting at the large oak desk by the window. The light streams through the breaks in the curtains, illuminating the book she has open in front of her. "There you are. I've been looking all over for you." Kristoff kisses her on the head, setting down the hot chocolate on the table beside her. "Oh, thank you honey." Anna smiled up at him. He smiles back, but couldn't help but notice the tired look in her eyes. He knew she hadn't been sleeping.

And he was sure he knew why.

"Sorry it's cold now, I walked the entire castle before I thought to look here." He tapped his forehead with the palm of his hand and smiled. He sits down in an armchair a bit away from the desk, sipping his chilled hot chocolate. After a moment of Anna continuing to read the comments- "Anna...Do you still….um, have you noticed..is it hot in here?" he pulls at his collar and gives an awkward chuckle. Anna gives him a small smile. "A little I guess." Kristoff decides not to push it, to ask what he was really thinking. But he couldn't help but notice when Anna wrapped her hands around her mug, which had begun to steam a little more than before.

The End.

**Writers note! **

_**Thank you all for being so patient as I finished this fic! Thank you for the lovely reviews that pushed me to finish, and I hope you all are satisfied with the ending. (If you would like a bonus scene of Elsa and Honey, leave a review!) **_


	7. Elsa and Honeymaren (Bonus scene)

It was a bright, warm day, the snow of the blizzard had nearly melted away when the Northuldra were brought to Arendelle- their valor and bravery in the protection of the queen and her family awarded them Medals of High Honor. The Northuldra were up on a platform, with the Lord and Queen of Arendelle presenting them with their medals

But in the hours before….

"So this is where you grew up…" Honeymarren looked surreal, standing in the doorway of Elsa's room. Elsa was on bed-rest, by order of the royal physician and The Queen. The burns she suffered from Hans' attack would heal, but it was the fatigue of maintaining an icy fortress that had drained her of her powers, at least for now. "Yeah. I guess I've never really thought about it like that." Elsa was laid out on her bed, covered only by a thin blanket while she recovered from her fever.

She followed Honeymaren around the room with her eyes, while Honey touched everything lightly with her fingertips. She moved like a shadow around the room, her footsteps almost silent on the carpet. She stopped in front of the window and looked out over the courtyard and onto the fjord.

"This is a beautiful view-"

"Thank you for saving me." Elsa said quickly, her voice was quiet and hoarse.

"What?" Honey turned to look at her. "I didn't save…" "You did. You stopped Hans from attacking me." Honeymaren shook her head, her dark hair falling in front of her eyes. "I didn't. I tried to, but...but he still took you. Elsa we were all so worried..._I was so worried."_ Honey moved from the window to sit on the edge of Elsa's bed, her face so close to her own. "I tried to follow you, to find you, but I couldn't...I'm sorry."

Honey was ashamed by the fact that tears had started to fall. "Honey- listen to me." Elsa sat up, wincing slightly, and brought her hand to Honey's cheek. Honeymaren rested her face in her hand. "Honeymaren- if you hadn't attacked Hans when you did, he would have killed me, right then and there. Because you gave me time, Anna and Kristoff had time to find me. _You _are the reason I'm here right now. You saved me and I will never forget that." Elsa leaned forward and lightly kissed Honeymaren's forehead.

And that was the moment that Honeymaren was thinking of when Anna draped the Medal of Valor around her neck, and it was the same one Elsa thought of, staring up at the girl who had defended her, standing against a bright blue sky.

The End.


End file.
